Brooklyn, NY— New York State Senator joined Brooklyn Public Library on Friday to celebrate the re-opening of Clarendon Library.
The branch closed for approximately five months. During that time, the library was painted; new flooring, book shelving, and storage cabinetry were installed; and outlets were added in the main reading room to help modernize the branch.
State Senator Kevin Parker generously provided $250,000 funding for the project.
“I am proud to celebrate and take part in the re-opening of the Clarendon Library,” said Senator Kevin Parker. “Libraries are an important community resource, as they provide students with a safe place to study, learn and gain access to information outside of their classrooms.”
During the opening celebration, Senator Parker read stories to school-aged children.
Assemblymember Rodneyse Bichotte and Council Member Farah N. Louis also took part in the ribbon cutting ceremony.
“Families and children of all ages depend on our neighborhood libraries to expand their knowledge and explore their imagination. I am excited that the Clarendon Library is now open and ready to welcome East Flatbush residents who have eagerly awaited this day. From story time to tech and career programs for our youth and adults, the library is a vital institution that promotes learning and literacy year-round. I look forward to the breadth of opportunities that will arise from this invaluable resource,” Council Member Farah Louis said.
During the closure, BPL provided bookmobile services and patrons were welcomed at nearby libraries. A popular story time program continued at a nearby church.
Since 1954, Clarendon Library has been a vibrant mainstay in the East Flatbush neighborhood, offering a wide range of programs from story time for children to resume writing for adults to art and music for the whole family. Clarendon Library is home to an award-winning robotics team.
“Today marks our return to Clarendon Library," said Linda E. Johnson, President and CEO of Brooklyn Public Library. "We are grateful to Senator Parker for his commitment and support of this project, which elevates our level of service to the East Flatbush community with a space better outfitted for our patrons’ needs.”
For the past several years, Brooklyn Public Library has invested in closing its $300 Million capital needs gap and updating aging infrastructure system-wide. The result of that work is that one third of the libraries in the BPL system have recently been or will be replaced or overhauled.
About Brooklyn Public Library
Brooklyn Public Library (BPL) is an independent library system for the 2.5 million residents of Brooklyn. It is the fifth largest library system in the United States with 60 neighborhood libraries located throughout the borough. BPL offers free programs and services for all ages and stages of life, including a large selection of books in more than 30 languages, author talks, literacy programs and public computers. BPL’s eResources, such as eBooks and eVideos, catalog information and free homework help, are available to customers of all ages 24 hours a day at our website: https://www.bklynlibrary.org